The Lost Hero

Ms. Lee - Ok, so I really liked this book. I totally want to give away the ending and all the surprises but I want you all to be able to figure out the puzzle pieces on your own! Let me start off by telling you how excited I was that this was a continuation of the Percy Jackson series...LOVED IT! I was so excited I was able to re-immerse myself into the world of demigods at Camp Half-Blood. As an added pleasure I was introduced to many more fun and interesting characters. There were three in particular for the book's focus. First there is Piper, a beautiful daughter of Aphrodite who seems to be able to 'charm" her way through life. Then there is Leo, a pyromanic who is good with a tool. Last of the three, and certainly (in my opinion) the most important, is Jason, a demigod who has had his memory erased by a goddess. These three take on the role of the main characters. Through Riordan's wonderful story I was able to accompany these three on their many adventures. Through times of peril or comedic relief, most of the time I enjoyed the story thoroughly. The beginning started off with lots of action and immediately got me hooked. I will say I got bored at times through the middle when back story was needed for the overall story itself. I knew this book would not disappoint so I trudged on and I was NOT disappointed. I had many questions through this book and many of them were answered at the end. The ending of this book was amazing and did not disappoint. I highly recommend this book. It is a GREAT battle book choice! Let me know what you think!

October 25, 2010
Percy Jackson fans can rest easy: this first book in Riordan's Heroes of Olympus spin-off series is a fast-paced adventure with enough familiar elements to immediately hook those eager to revisit his modern world of mythological mayhem. Clever plot devices—like gods who shift back and forth between their Greek and Roman personae—keep the book from feeling like a retread of Riordan's previous novels. Jason, Piper, and Leo, three students at a wilderness school for troubled teens, are transported to Camp Half-Blood after an unexpected encounter with evil storm spirits on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Not only do they discover that they are the offspring of ancient gods, but they also learn that they are three of seven demigods mentioned in the Great Prophecy uttered by Rachel in The Last Olympian. Wasting little time acclimating to their new lives, the three embark upon a quest to preserve Mt. Olympus and the divine status quo, by rescuing an erstwhile enemy. Rotating among his three protagonists, Riordan's storytelling is as polished as ever, brimming with wit, action, and heart—his devotees won't be disappointed. Ages 10–up.

February 1, 2011

Gr 5-9-This book will delight fans of The Lightning Thief (Hyperion, 2005) as Percy, Annabeth, and others play roles in the new prophecy and its subsequent quest. A few months after The Last Olympian (Hyperion, 2009) ends, Jason wakes up on a bus filled with problem kids from the Wilderness School who are headed to the Grand Canyon. He has no memory of his previous life, but seems to be with his girlfriend, Piper, and his best friend, Leo. The action takes off quickly: storm spirits attack them and capture their coach, who turns out to be a Satyr. Searching for Percy, who is missing, Annabeth arrives and takes the three to Camp Half-Blood, where they learn that they are demigods. Their parents are gods in their Roman rather than Greek personae. By sunset of the solstice in three days, the teens must rescue Hera, Queen of the gods, or Porphyrion, the giant king created to destroy Zeus and unseat the gods of Olympus, will rise. Their quest takes them across the United States, sometimes flying on a mechanical, 60-foot dragon, as they use their power and wits against Medea, King Midas, and the giant cannibal Enceladus. Riordan excels at clever plot devices and at creating an urgent sense of cliff-hanging danger. His interjection of humor by incongruous juxtaposition-Medea, for example, heads up a New York City department store-provides some welcome relief. The young heroes deal with issues familiar to teens today: Who am I? Can I live up to the expectations of others? Having read the first series is helpful but not essential, and the complex plot is made for sequels.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME

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